McLaren CEO Zak Brown has expressed dissatisfaction with the penalties given to Max Verstappen at the Mexican Grand Prix, suggesting they were too lenient. Verstappen received two 10-second penalties for incidents with McLaren’s Lando Norris: first for pushing Norris off track at Turn 4 as he tried to overtake, and then for an aggressive inside move at Turn 7 that forced both drivers off the track. Brown has called for Verstappen to adopt cleaner driving tactics for the rest of the 2024 season, emphasizing the importance of maintaining fair competition on the track.
The incidents resulted in Verstappen serving a prolonged 20-second stop at his pit, ultimately finishing in sixth place—his worst finish this season. Meanwhile, Norris secured second place behind Carlos Sainz of Ferrari, narrowing Verstappen’s lead in the driver standings to 47 points. With only four races remaining, Verstappen’s penalty has stirred further debate within the F1 community about the consistency and severity of punishments for aggressive driving.
This latest controversy follows an incident a week earlier at the United States Grand Prix, where Norris was penalized for overtaking Verstappen off-track. McLaren’s appeal against that penalty was denied by the FIA, adding to their frustrations over what they view as inconsistent penalty rulings. Brown, while recognizing the FIA stewards’ efforts, suggested that penalties need to reflect the severity of the infractions to curb such aggressive behavior, and he has urged Verstappen to keep the competition clean going forward.
Despite speculation about escalating their concerns to FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, Brown indicated that he trusts the stewards’ judgment and sees no need for McLaren to take additional action. He commended the stewards for their decisions in Mexico and expressed confidence in their ability to enforce rules effectively, calling for a renewed focus on “good, clean racing” in the remaining races of the season.
On the Constructors’ Championship front, McLaren’s lead over Ferrari has shrunk to 29 points, following consecutive wins by Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz. Although McLaren aims to clinch their first Constructors’ title since 1998, Brown acknowledges that Red Bull, currently 54 points behind, still poses a threat. With the season nearing its conclusion, Brown anticipates a highly competitive finish between McLaren, Ferrari, and potentially Red Bull, adding excitement to the title race in Formula 1.